The Board granted an initial rating of 20 percent for mechanical low back pain, effective July 30, 1999. Service connection was established for syncope and numbness and weakness of both arms and hands secondary to service-connected mechanical low back pain.
The deciding factor: VA treatment records showed that the veteran had chronic lumbar strain with intermittent pain in his lower back and thoracic spine. The September 2001 VA examination confirmed current symptoms including right upper extremity numbness and weakness, which were attributed to his service-connected mechanical low back pain.
- Claimed conditions
- Mechanical low back pain, Syncope, Numbness and weakness of both arms and hands
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- March 6, 2006
- Citation
- 0606341
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied an increased disability rating in excess of 20 percent for the service-connected back disability and an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for the right lower extremity radiculopathy.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome, and obstructive sleep apnea. Service connection was denied for gastroesophageal reflux disease, diabetes mellitus, left subclavian artery thrombus status post thrombectomy, and lumbar spine disability. The claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder and sinusitis were remanded.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and syncope, render him unable to maintain substantially gainful employment.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone did not prevent him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to December 11, 2009. The Board denied the claim for TDIU on both schedular and extraschedular grounds.
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